Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1887-02-18
Poverty In virginia.

II seems . little strange In these days
Oe plenty 10 read OF district OF ooun-
ny in South Western Virginia, where
want and misery, Ignorance and crime,
slckpess and sorroW, seem 10 be the
chronic lot Of tbs people. Along the
ridges Of tho Alieghenies, and along
the foot hills in Giles County, live .
Iace OF people whose condition Ia cer-
calmly exceptional In this land Of intel
liRenoe and plenty. Whole o0mmupi-
ties are found where families, parents.
children and grandchildren, often 70
the number Of ten or . dozen, live In
lsg shAntics, with . single room from
tWelve TO fifteen feet square. Common
ly there II no window; leaky roof, .
smoking chimney, bedstead or two.
With scant covering, banks Of leaves, .
little pine table, sometimes . benoh or
. chair, and Sometimes mona, complete
the establishment. The children arc
almost naked, and their elders wear
Httle less than rags There are schools
Aere, but their lack OF clothing prevents
these nude children from attending. II
they had clothing they have no money
70 buy books, and the county does not
provide them. Not one In ten Of these
people eAn read or write. Sickness
seems almost universal. Fevers, sore
throat, pneumonia, eonsu mption, scroll
ula and rheumatism, mostly induced
By their necessities and mode of life,
make them their prey. There Is little
work during the winter, and gaunt want
stalks abroad among them. The
county cannot support them, no. give
them work.
Such Is . description given by those
who have been there, and who say
there 10 no exAggeration in the account.
This IL surely an abnormal condition oil
Affairs, doing no credit to Virginia 1,
must not be forgotten either that these
are white settlements Of which W
speak. Were they communities OF ne
groes, who were former slaves, there
would be some excuse. The valleys DO.
tween the ridges Of the mountains in
that section Of Virginia are ~ rich ~
In any other section Of the State, and
the mountains themselves are full o
minerals There is not the least excus,
for such poverty, ignorance and vice q
there exist. This Ii certainly good
section OF country for the labors Of tn,
home missionaries. Nearly every veal
comes an appeal from this section fol
help, while there 10 plenty every wAer,
else. The help these people need Is Il
be taught the habits Of industry.
II would be much cheaper aud bene-
fcial in the end TO- send them tht
shoolmAsser, sGs that thSarmer, the
mAnuiaetnreTtill three montRoorer Z
toAc1hge. The amendment wasi worn
and filter discussion, a motion an L
senkrin9ton to postpone for opes hill,
they ns-i0 to z. L idlepess, lazines
and igudfe adjour the charity Of other
they will Day sOw more indolent AM
shiftless. They need reform, and Viz
ginia should undertake reforming then
immediAtely. 1t is to be hoped that
reform has already commenced. Tha
eecton Of Virginia has long been note'
for giviog heavy Democratic sjorities
but Oh nse has come. At the lst
election fer Congress, though Q Repub
NcAn Wa not elected, the Democrat
oandIds.s who had always turned n
With tremendous majorities WAS de
feated, and the Independent Labor can
didate was elected. This change cam,
like clap Of thunder from . clear sky
The illlterate denizens OF the mountain
and bills were capable Of reasoning o.
far rs to say that Q change could no
make their condition worse. The re
suits OF the war has let light in upol
their benighted region. They were tn
bravest soldiers Of the Confederat
army, and ye. on Virginia soil the
saw their chief surreBder his army to
superior force from section wher
Democracy was the exception. The.
people are commencing to reach out fc
something better than they have h.t
aud We believe they will get 1t. Vii
ginia Is on the right road for it. Sh
has overthrow the Bourbons, ha
turned over new Leaf and with pre-
lection rs her motto an impoverishe
people will ye. revel In plenty and Ii
desert places will rejoice.